ANDREW GALE faces possible disciplinary action from the ECB after showing dissent before being dramatically recalled by the umpires during a hardfought third day of the Roses match at Headingley.

The Yorkshire captain was on 25 in the second over after lunch when Lancashire appealed for a catch behind down the leg-side off Glen Chapple, which was given out by Peter Willey.

He gestured several times that the ball had hit his thigh pad and, after consulting with Ian Gould at square-leg, Willey reversed his decision.

Gale advanced to an unbeaten 95 in Yorkshire’s 243 – a deficit of 82.

Three wickets for Tim Bresnan before bad light halted play left Lancashire on 48-3, leading by 130 runs, but Gale now faces possible penalty points for his reaction even though he apologised to the umpires after play.

“I should have walked off really, that’s what you’re supposed to do in cricket,” conceded Gale.

“Pete admitted it was a terrible decision and he got it wrong, so as I was walking off I told him I had a mark on my trousers.

I had a big red mark on my trousers where it hit me, so he called me back.

“I was a bit shocked, to be honest, but fair play to him because it takes a brave man to admit he’s wrong like that.”

A report into the incident will now be sent to the ECB, who could give Gale penalty points that could result in a ban should he be involved in similar incidents in the near future.

The controversy overshadowed a compelling day’s play, with Yorkshire struggling to combat Lancashire’s swing and seam as they lost seven wickets in the afternoon session after resuming on 29-0.

All-rounder Tom Smith, with 5-49, was chief tormentor.

But other than a half century for Adam Lyth at the top of the order, Gale had little support.

It was not until Ryan Sidebottom, still struggling with a left hamstring strain, joined him at the crease that Yorkshire offered any resistance. They added 38 crucial runs for the ninth wicket to just about kept them in touch with Lancashire.

The value of those runs was evident when Bresnan delivered an eye-catching new ball spell, finishing with 3-9.